Best Buy Sends Lucky Shoppers Five iPads Instead of One

An iPad would normally be considered a pretty substantial gift this holiday season. Thanks to a fortunate error by Best Buy, a couple of shoppers can now use the tablet computer for stocking stuffers.

Best Buy customer Alexa had ordered one iPad and was shocked when a neatly packed box of five showed up at her door. Legally, you can keep anything that is sent to you, whether you paid for it or not. (This is to prevent retailers from sending you unwanted things.) But, through the website The Consumerist, the woman still contacted Best Buy and asked if there was a way she could return the items she didn't pay for.

This is the letter she got back:

Good afternoon, Alexa –

Laura, from the Consumerist, contacted us here at Best Buy on your behalf. First and foremost, I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your honesty. That is so rare in this day and age and I sincerely thank you!

We, here at Best Buy, acknowledge that we obviously made a mistake, but in the spirit of the holidays, we encourage you to keep the additional iPads and give them to people in need – friends, family, a local school or charity.

I have not shared this resolution with Laura, as you are the customer, but it is up to you if want to let her know the outcome of your discussion.

Thank you so very much for coming forward and I hope your boyfriend enjoys his new iPad. Merry Christmas!

And Alexa isn't the only one to have gotten five iPads for the price of one. Another man wrote into The Consumerist and said he had exactly the same experience. While he says he is keeping the extra iPads in his closet in case Best Buy comes knocking at his door, it looks like they are his to keep.